Acute transanal evisceration of the small bowel: Report of a case and review of the literature

• Published in: Diseases of the colon & rectum Vol. 46; no. 9; pp. 1280 - 1283
• Main Authors: MORRIS, Arden M, SETTY, Shaun P, STANDAGE, Blayne A, HANSEN, Paul D
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Secaucus, NJ Springer 01.09.2003; Lippincott Williams & Wilkins Ovid Technologies
• Subjects: Acute Disease; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Biological and medical sciences; Constipation - complications; Female; Humans; Intestine, Small - surgery; Medical sciences; Rectal Diseases - complications; Rectal Diseases - surgery; Rupture, Spontaneous; Stomach, duodenum, intestine, rectum, anus; Stress, Physiological - complications; Stress, Physiological - etiology; Surgery (general aspects). Transplantations, organ and tissue grafts. Graft diseases; Surgery of the digestive system; Tissue Adhesions - complications; Human; Rectal disease; Acute; Rupture; Evisceration; Small intestine; Case study; Prolapsus; Surgery; Rectum; Digestive diseases; Intestinal disease; Complication; Female; Elderly; Bibliographic review
• ISSN: 0012-3706; 1530-0358
• DOI: 10.1007/s10350-004-6727-6

We report a patient who presented with rectal rupture and transanal evisceration, a rare entity with only 52 cases previously described in the world literature. Our case is the first to implicate sheer stress on the anterior rectum caused by postoperative adhesions as the major etiologic contributing feature. Moreover, this case is the third reported with chronic constipation without rectal prolapse as an additional preexisting contributory condition. A summary of the medical literature including etiology, treatment, and outcomes is presented.